Dark Magic Destiny
by Tsunami Storm
Summary: Set in the 'Dragon-Prince' series. Just a short two-shot about how I think Mana became the Dark Magician Girl. Directly after Yami sealed himself in the Puzzle and erased his memory. Pairings: one-sided Mizushipping.
1. Nightmare

Hi everybody! It's me again! With another story. Yay! Okay, so this story takes place before the show started, in Ancient Egypt right after Atem– oops! I mean Yami– sealed Zorc away the first time. So people are gonna be calling him Yami, since they were made to forget his real name. This is just a short two-shot about my two favorite Dark Magicians, and it tells the story of how Mana became the Dark Magician Girl, hence the title. As always, Ancient Egyptian speech will be **bolded** _**and**_ _italicized_, and thoughts will be _italicized_. Read, Enjoy, and Review!

_**Disclaimer:**_ Oh, and I don't own Yugioh. Kazuki Takahashi does. (I would be making these stories into new episodes if I did!)

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><p><em><strong>"Master! Wait! Please! Wait for me, master Mahaad!"<strong>_ Mana cried, racing after her master, who appeared not to hear her. _**"Please, wait!"**_ she sobbed as he walked farther and farther away from her into the darkness. _**"You're going down a path I can't follow! Please come back to me, master!"**_ she called, running with all her might and trying her hardest to catch up, to somehow bring him back by her own strength. As she ran along the narrow path, she tripped on an uneven patch and fell to her hands and knees. _**"Please–"**_ she gasped. _**"Come back. Come back to us– please–"**_ she pleaded, tears streaming from her turquoise eyes and falling to the crystalline path beneath. Mahaad–appearing as the 'Dark Magician'–walked on into the darkness, oblivious to his former student and fellow spellcaster weeping behind him.

_**"COME BACK!"**_ Mana wailed one final time as her teacher and best friend disappeared into the darkness. _Not him too!_ she thought miserably. _First Ouji– I mean, Pharaoh, now my master? Not to mention the others– Am I cursed by the gods to lose all the people I love?_ She broke down and put her head between her knees, crying as though she felt her heart would burst. Suddenly the thin bridge of crystal cracked and broke apart, and Mana found herself falling into the black abyss below–

_**"Aaah!"**_ Mana screamed as she woke from her nightmare, feeling disoriented and confused when she found herself in her chambers, tangled in the sheets but otherwise unharmed. Her tears were still flowing freely, and she found she could not stop them even when she tried. So she wept quietly until she could cry no more. Still sniffling, she untangled herself from her sheets and shuffled to her mirror to prepare for the day.

_It's been a week since the Lord of Darkness was defeated and Yami sealed his spirit in the Millennium Puzzle, so why was I dreaming about my master?_ Mana wondered to herself as she put on her kohl and headdress. _It's been a while since he became the 'Dark Magician', and I've gotten used to that fact. So why– what would remind me of that day?_ Mana asked herself, and her reflection tilted its head from side to side with a puzzled expression on its face. _**"Ugh. I'm a mess!"**_ Mana complained when she saw her eyes, still red and raw from crying so much. _**"Last time I just let my emotions run their course–"**_ she grumbled. Just then she remembered. _**"Oh no! The coronation's today! Oh, Seth's gonna kill me if I'm late!"**_ She raced out of her room and sped through the corridors of the palace, knowing that she'd never make it in time. Still she ran.

Seth–now _pharaoh_ of all Egypt–was just sitting down on the throne when Mana came sliding into the room. She hurriedly took her place next to one of the new Guardians, her breath coming in short quiet gasps. She hoped no one would notice. _Yeah right Mana. Everyone is staring at you and you know it. You sure picked a great day to sleep in._ When she shyly looked up at her new king, she was surprised and relieved to find that he wasn't even looking at her. Instead he was looking straight ahead, regal and majestic like the powerful ruler he now was.

_"All hail Seth, pharaoh of all Egypt and link to the gods!"_ cried the court scribe, and every soul in the room knelt on their right knees and bowed their heads in respect. When Mana and the other new Guardians were commanded to rise by the new pharaoh, she jumped a little and blushed. Seth caught her eye and mouthed, _**"You're late."**_ with a serious look on his face. But then he winked, and Mana knew that he was not upset with her, just nervous about this whole ceremony. She suspected that she would be too, if she were in his place. Neither he nor she knew how to rule a country! Oh well. No matter what happened, Mana resolved that she would stand by him, and help him whenever and however she could.

_**"My king, with your permission, we are ready to begin the Ceremony of the Items."**_ announced the scribe, looking to Seth to give the word.

_**"Very well."**_ Seth said confidently, rising to his feet and clapping his hands thrice. Almost immediately six royal guards entered the throne room, bearing on their shoulders the Millennium Stone. _Wait a minute! I thought that stone was destroyed to summon Zorc! what's going on?_ Mana thought with alarm. She looked at Seth in confusion, but when she saw his brief mischievous smirk, she guessed that he'd had an identical stone carved as a replacement. The guards carefully set the stone in the center of the room, then backed out, bowing. Only one of the Items was missing, the Millennium Puzzle. Mana remembered the reason for its absence, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. When she looked at Seth once more, she saw that he was staring at the same spot, and had a few tears of his own budding in his eyes. With a quiet sigh of sorrow and grief, he rubbed away the tears from his eyes, then raised both his hands, palms down, and pointed them at the Stone.

As one the Items rose from their places and floated to form a circle above the new Guardians' heads. The rest of the pharaoh's court now stood and looked to their king to begin the ceremony. Seth closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, saying, _**"The time has come. The darkness banished, the light victorious. However, many lights were lost to banish darkness forever. Friends, family, loved ones–"**_ he faltered briefly as he thought of Kisara and her sacrifice. _**"–and masters."**_ At this he glanced at Mana, remembering a sorrow that only they could share and understand fully. _**"We honor their sacrifice now."**_ He bowed his head, and the whole court followed suit. After a long moment, Seth looked up and comforted, _**"But this is not the time for sorrow! A new age is dawning, and we will live in the glorious light Ra gives for many years to come! To ensure the peace and prosperity of Our kingdom, the Sacred Items have chosen their six new bearers, and shall guard the land of the pharaohs until the gods receive us into our final rest, and then even longer, to keep safe our descendants!"**_

The assembly cheered at Seth's awe-inspiring speech, and Mana felt herself almost bursting with pride in her friend. _Who knew Seth was such a great speaker?_ she thought happily, pleasantly surprised at her friend. She was so inspired and riveted by the pharaoh's speech that she failed to notice that the Items had descended, and now hovered in front of the six Guardians' faces. Mana gasped when she saw that her master's Millennium Ring had chosen her to be its new wielder, and she took the silk cord reverently and hung the Item from her neck, where it lay gleaming against her chest. She could feel a faint dark presence inside the Item [Zorc], but her power was enough to keep it at bay. She could also barely sense the presence of a small glimmer of light within the Ring [Akefia], but did not know what it meant.

The Millennium Eye went to a young man who had fought in the battle with Zorc and had somehow lost his left eye in the struggle against the cursed skeletons of Kul-Elna. Mana felt sorry for the young man, but he winked at her with his good eye and smiled, assuring her that the wound didn't hurt much anymore. The man was rather tall–almost as tall as Seth was–and had short brown hair and a brown eye. His hair was shaped into a point that stuck out slightly from his forehead. It kind of reminded Mana of a pyramid. When the young man donned the mystical article, the Eye glowed once and his wound was healed, and all the vessels that were damaged were sealed off, to prevent further loss of blood and infection.

The Millennium Scales went to a young man with shoulder-length black hair and warm chocolate-brown eyes. He looked quite surprised to see the Item floating in front of him, but then nodded solemnly and grasped the Scales by their stem, holding them as gently as if they were made of thin glass. Mana smiled over at the young man in congratulations, and Akhen smiled back, silent as always.

Seth raised an eyebrow at the new Guardian of 'his' Millennium Rod, a boy no older than thirteen. The lad had long black hair that resembled the mane of a lion, and gray-blue eyes that resembled storm clouds, an unusual color in this land. The boy was fairly tall for his age–standing at about 5'6''–and was well-built considering his youth. Then Seth shrugged. If this young man had been chosen by the Rod to be its Guardian, so be it. He would have a talk with this boy at the very least. With a silent sigh, he looked out over the assembly once again and spoke. _**"It is finished! The Items have chosen six new Sacred Guardians, and they will protect and guard us in wisdom and fairness. May they lead us justly."**_

At this, Mana and the others answered with the appropriate response, _**"And may your reign be long and great, Pharaoh."**_ and dropped to one knee in respect and reverence as the ceremonial Festival of the Pharaohs began.

After the festivities had ended–seven hours before dawn–Seth gathered two of the Guardians and walked with them to a secret room where they would not be overheard. When he had sealed the entrance, he turned to the Guardian of the Rod and asked the teenager kindly, _**"What is your name?"**_

The youth answered timidly, _**"My lord's servant is called Makhet, if it pleases my lord."**_ then he bowed so low his mane of hair touched the floor. Seth smiled, then thought, _This young man is very well-mannered. Maybe he could be my foreign ambassador in a few years._ Out loud he said, _**"Well Makhet, do you know which Item you now wield?"**_

_**"Yes my lord. I bear the sacred Millennium Rod, the same powerful item once borne by you–my pharaoh–when you were a Sacred Guardian under the great Nameless Pharaoh."**_ Makhet replied nervously, slightly intimidated by his tall liege. Seth smiled again, nodding to agree with the boy's assessment. _**"We can see in your eyes both fear and bravery, young Makhet. We know you are nervous about the future. I know **_I_** was, when the Rod chose me."**_ he imparted, causing the boy to look surprised, shocked that his king would willingly admit a weakness. _**"We see courage, wisdom and strength in your heart, and We know that you will be able to wield Our former Item. The Rod can be a powerful weapon in times of war, but also a great tool in times of peace. Use it well."**_ Seth finished, resting a calming hand on the lad's shoulder, as the boy was shaking slightly. _**"Now rest. We shall see you in the morning, two hours after daybreak."**_

The boy-guardian nodded, then left the secret room to retire to his own. Seth then turned to Mana, and a reproving glare met her suddenly sheepish gaze. _**"So Mana, would you mind explaining why you were late for the coronation ceremony? You missed the whole thing!"**_ he accused, but there was a smile on his face and a twinkle of amusement in his eyes, despite his harsh tone. He knew that he didn't have to be formal with her–one of his oldest friends–so he switched to his normal means of speech, not using the royal 'We'.

_**"Sorry, Seth. I– I had a nightmare, and I found myself crying uncontrollably when I woke up. I couldn't stop until my tears ran dry, and that's why I was late and why my eyes were as red as Zorc's when I came in."**_ Mana laughed nervously in apology, staring at her slippered feet.

Seth's mood changed instantly, from amused scolding to solemn understanding. _**"It was Mahaad again, wasn't it? Your nightmare."**_ It was a statement rather than a question, and he didn't need a verbal answer. One look at Mana's tear-filled eyes told him the whole story. Forgetting for a moment that he was now king of all Egypt, Seth embraced the young woman as he would a little sister, and consoled her as she wept on his shoulder. _**"I know, Mana. I know."**_ he whispered as he patted her back. _**"We both lost souls dear to our hearts. But they will always be with us. Now that you are a Guardian, you have access to all the Guardians' monsters. Including–"**_ he smiled as he wiped away one of Mana's tears with his thumb, _**"the 'Dark Magician'."**_

Mana gasped at this revelation, remembering that she had received a dia-diank during the Sacred Item ceremony. Also momentarily forgetting Seth was now the pharaoh, she leaped up and embraced his tall form with pure joy and ecstasy in her eyes and heart. What a gift Seth had just given her! No gift could be better. The tears that now cascaded from her eyes were filled with happiness, and her mouth was starting to hurt from the intensity and size of her beaming smile.

Seth chuckled and ruffled her hair playfully, then suggested, _**"Get some sleep, Mana. I expect to see you bright and early two hours after sunrise for the morning assembly. Do try to not be late this time."**_ he added with a teasing wink. Mana laughed, then kissed her friend on the cheek with a cheery _**"Good night, Pharaoh!"**_ Seth smiled, then kissed her back on the forehead. _**"Sweet dreams, Mana."**_ Then they both left the room to retire to their respective chambers.

When Mana reached her chambers, she swiftly donned her new dia-diank and called upon the power of the Millennium Ring that was now hers. Almost immediately there was a flash of purple light and Mana opened her eyes to find her beloved master sitting on her bed. He looked just the same as she remembered, garbed with purple armor and wielding a long teal staff. Only now he was sitting cross-legged on the foot of her bed and his staff rested on his knees. His expression was familiar as well. His mouth was curved into an amused smile, but his eyes shone with love and something that Mana had never seen him look at her with before. Pride. Her master was proud of her! Mana smiled, and Mahaad nodded in approval.

_**"So. It seems you are my successor. Congratulations!"**_ Mahaad praised.

_**"Thanks."**_ a blushing Mana answered shyly.

_**"What? I was congratulating the Ring. It could not have chosen a better host if it tried."**_

Mana smiled at her master's harmless teasing, knowing that he had meant the compliment for her. _**"All joking aside, I **_am_** proud of you, Mana. You have indeed grown since last I saw you!"**_ Mahaad stated, wonder sparkling in his dark blue eyes. _**"Would you convey my congratulations to Seth as well? He will be a great pharaoh, certainly worthy of succeeding his cousin. Also, tell him– Kisara sends her love. He will know what I mean."**_ he added at the look of confusion on Mana's face.

_**"Okay."**_ Mana agreed, sealing her promise in magic so she wouldn't forget it overnight. It was only when she yawned that she remembered how tired she was. She carefully removed her headdress and the Millennium Ring and set them carefully on her bedside table. Then she washed off the kohl with a wet cloth and climbed into bed. Turning to her master–who was now beside her–she asked tentatively, _**"Will you stay with me? Even if I take my dia-diank off?"**_ Mahaad smiled and nodded, answering both the question and agreeing to the request. _**"All night, if that is what you wish."**_ Mana smiled, then curled up under her blanket. And for the first time in weeks, she slept free of the nightmares.

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><p><span>End of chapter 1<span>

Next chapter teaser: Awakening

Okay, I know I told people this was gonna be a one-shot, but Mana and Seth had to ruin my plans. So now it's a two-shot!

I couldn't resist putting in a little foreshadowing for 'Another Chance', hence the Tristan and Mokuba look-a-likes. Hee-hee!

That nightmare was kinda a compilation of Star Wars, Bleach, and Yu Yu Hakusho. Yeah, I'm not very creative. And the wake-up scene was from one of my own experiences. I literally could _not_ stop crying! For like half an hour!

The rest of it was pure fluff. And if you interpret that scene with Mana and Seth as Bokushipping, it's not. I'm still a Mizushipper (Seth x Kisara). Sorry! And Mahaad sees Mana as a little sister, not as a lover! (Apprenticeshipping) I think he liked Isis (Pleashipping) and she (Mana) likes Atem (Vaseshipping). So there.

What do you think of Seth's speech? That one was all me. Pretty inspiring, no?

See you next chapter!

Tsunami Storm


	2. Awakening

Heeeeerrrrrreeeee's chapter 2! Read, Enjoy, and Review!

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><p>Ten years later–<p>

_**"There. It's– finally– done."**_ Seth panted as he put the finishing touches on the larger-than-life statue of the White Dragon.

_**"Wow Seth! She looks amazing! It's almost like the dragon's alive!"**_ Mana gasped in awe as Seth climbed down from the roof of the temple, greatly fatigued from the strenuous work and the scorching heat of the Egyptian sun over the Sahara. He smiled at the compliment, surveying his work and agreeing with his friend's assessment. The silver statue of the dragon did indeed look as though it were alive. Proud and majestic, Seth had carved and molded it in the act of shooting a burst of White Lightning.

_**"If only– Kisara could have seen it."**_ he sighed to himself. Even after all these years, he still missed her, the only woman he'd ever truly loved.

_**"Well I bet she would have loved it."**_ Mana comforted, rewarding Seth with his favorite smile. He returned the expression, though it didn't reach his eyes. Nothing made him truly happy anymore. The only ones that could were far beyond his reach.

Mana knew how he felt. Even now, she missed her master terribly. Even though she could speak with him as he was now–a Duel Monster–it wasn't the same. Because he was a spirit, any physical contact would pass right through him. Mana had discovered that the hard way, running to embrace him and ending up smacking into the stone wall behind him. She tried it through an indirect method, which sort of worked. Her Ka–the 'Dark Magician Girl'–would be able to embrace him and such, and Mana would handle the rest. But it felt empty. There is nothing quite like a real hug from a dear friend.

Mana could tell that Mahaad missed her too, and it became doubly apparent when he would protect her and her Ka in battle. He would be so determined to shield Mana and the Dark Magician Girl that he would forget completely about the very real danger he himself would be in. Seeing her master wounded and hurt was almost worse than the pain that came from the battles. It was like losing him all over again. Mana couldn't bear it. That was why she had done something over the years that no 'duelist' ever had before: Teach her Ka to be human. Learn medicine. Battle in ways other than with magic. She would summon her Ka as often and for as long as she could, so that the Dark Magician Girl would be able to better aid her master. Soon she was strong enough to maintain the summon for days at a time. Priestess Mana and her Ka would rarely be seen without the company of the other, and sometimes Mahaad would be there as well.

Due to Mana's growing proficiency at summoning and maintaining monsters, Seth granted her request to become one of his elite spellcasters. She also took her master's old position as Head of Palace Security. It was in this reality that Mana fell ill, struck on the arm by a lethal poisoned dart meant for Seth. The guilty man–who had been the same slave-trader that had kidnapped Kisara and destroyed Seth's boyhood village–was caught, tried, and executed for his crimes, past and recent.

Seth tried everything to save his friend, but to no avail. From her sickbed, Mana selected her successor to the Millennium Ring, one of her young students, and Seth helped her set her other affairs in order. During her last night in the World of the Living, Seth tearfully asked, _**"How am I supposed to go on without you? You're the only one left who understands what we have been through. How can I rule our people–be their king–when I don't even know who I **_am_** anymore?"**_

_**"Oh Seth, you'll be a great king."**_ Mana comforted weakly from her bed. _**"Just remember all the lessons you learned from Akunumkanon, Yami, and your father and you'll be fine. Anyway,"**_ she smirked, _**"It's not like I'll be gone forever, right?"**_ she asked rhetorically, a mysteriously mischievous sparkle in her eyes. Seth had no idea what she was planning. She wouldn't just abandon him like this! He should know her better than _that_ by now!

Knowing she had only minutes left, Mana gave her best friend his favorite smile and whispered, _**"Whenever you need me, I'll always be there!"**_ Then she closed her eyes. Seth broke down, hiding his face in his arms, so he didn't see the flash of pink and blue light that left Mana's lifeless form and entered that of the Dark Magician Girl. As the Duel Monster faded from sight, Mana's dia-diank shattered and her Ring fell to the ground with a _clang_.

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><p>When she woke up–seemingly after only a short nap–Mana could see nothing but darkness all around her. <em>Oh, so this must be the 'dark period' that Mahaad was talking about. He said it lasted for a few days until his strength returned. But how in the world did he measure time in here?!<em> Mana asked herself, flummoxed. _Guess I'll just go to sleep. Maybe an answer will come to me when I wake._ And with that she closed her eyes, not even thinking of looking at her altered appearance, so sure was she that the Transference spell had worked.

Hours _or maybe days?_ later (time doesn't exist in the gap between dimensions), Mana woke to a speck of bright light in front of her eyes. Blinking and curious, she slowly walked toward the anomaly of light in the utter blackness around her. As she moved closer, a flare of pink at her side caught her eye. She gasped in delight when she saw that she looked exactly like her Ka, the Dark Magician Girl. Her skin was now fairer than it used to be, and her hair was longer. Instead of the dark brown she was used to, it was colored gold like the divine dragon of Ra. She took her helmet off and was pleased to find that it sort of resembled her old headdress, but mostly resembled her master's helmet in its design.

Coming closer to the speck of light, Mana realized that it wasn't a speck at all but a doorway, a portal to a whole new world. _**"Wow!"**_ Mana breathed, as she surveyed the picturesque scenery before her. A gigantic castle stood tall and majestic in a lush green forest so thick it looked like an emerald sea, its towers piercing a sky so blue it looked like one big wall of sapphire. Birds that she'd only seen carvings of winged below her, as well as other be-winged creatures. _Wait a minute!_ She exclaimed in her mind, _Is that 'Spiria'?!_ Just as she leaned in to get a closer look, she found herself falling.

_**"Aaah!"**_ she cried as the hard and unyielding ground rushed to meet her. She braced herself for the impact, but it never came. When she opened her eyes, she found that Seth's Ka 'Duos' had caught her in mid-air. He gently set her on the ground, smiled briefly, then took off, flying to his previous destination. _**"Thank you!"**_ she called after him, and he turned a somersault to show that he'd heard her. _Well! That was an adventure!_ she thought to herself. _Now to find that castle. Boy, I wish I could– wait, I can!_ As soon as she thought it, Mana found herself hovering a few inches off the ground just like her master did.

_This must be where our Ka live when we haven't summoned them–_ she observed a while later as she passed 'Celtic Guardian' and 'Battle Ox' sparring with each other. She watched the two warriors fondly for a few moments, remembering when Seth and Karim would train against each other just like this. Still smiling, she continued on, stopping at a mystical fountain flowing with pure, crystal-clear water. Next to the fountain knelt the 'Mystical Elf', who seemed to be chanting a long and complex spell over and over. When she reached the end she said without looking up, _**"Good to see you again, Mana."**_

_**"How did you–"**_ Mana began, but then stopped. Right. Magic. _**"Could you direct me to the castle? There's someone I want to see, and he's most likely there."**_ she nervously asked the Mystical Elf, who was now standing at her full height and smiling down at the young magician. _Her headdress reminds me of Mahaad's, except his was gold._

_**"Of course. Simply follow that trail north. You'll get there in no time. He's not there right now, but he'll return."**_ she answered kindly, seeming to know who it was that Mana was looking for without actually mentioning his name. _**"Just explore the castle to your heart's content. He usually returns around sunset. You'll find him eventually."**_

_**"Okay. Thank you!"**_ Mana replied, skipping down the correct trail until she came to the castle gate. A 'Familiar Knight' granted her passage, and Mana found her way to the central chamber. When she entered it, she gasped. Three enormous dragons encased in crystal stood on a circular pedestal, a sword embedded in each of their bodies as a key in its lock. Mana suspected that when the right persons removed the swords the dragons would be freed. She tried tugging on the sword that sealed the greenish dragon, but soon gave up on the fruitless attempt. Leaving the puzzling room, Mana wandered the halls, looking in each empty room she passed. When she came to the last room in the hall, she gasped again.

The room was arranged just as her master's had been in the palace in Egypt minus the bed, because Duel Monsters had no need of sleep. The desks were all covered with beakers, vials and glass flasks filled with all manner of ingredients and concoctions. The scroll-shelf was filled as well, with hundreds of scrolls on–Mana suspected–every charm, spell and curse that Mahaad had learned while he was alive. Looking out the small window, Mana smiled when she saw that her master had a clear view to the sacred fountain, where Mana could just barely see the kind Mystical Elf that had helped her earlier, still kneeling and chanting her spell.

_**"Oh. I didn't realize I had company waiting. I would have returned sooner."**_ said a slightly surprised voice behind her. Mana could tell without turning around that her master was smiling. Hoping she could surprise him, Mana turned around slowly, hoping he wouldn't immediately notice the changes.

_**"Dark Magician Girl? What's wrong? You're not your usual energetic self today."**_ Mahaad asked, concerned for who he thought was a fellow Duel Monster. Mana bit her lip, knowing it was impossible to fool master Mahaad for long. So she looked up at him through her eyelashes and said softly, _**"Hello master Mahaad."**_

_**"Hm. That's a new one. You've never called me by name bef–"**_ Then it clicked. _**"**_Mana_**?"**_ he breathed, disbelief and shock in his blue eyes. Mana nodded shyly, starting to think that coming here wasn't the best idea after all. The look on her master's face was evidence enough of that. While she waited for the shock to dissipate, Mana studied her master's face closely. Just as she had changed, Mahaad had changed as well. His long brown hair was now purple like his armor, and he was paler than she remembered. His eyes–once a beautiful dark blue–had changed to those of the 'Illusion Magician', a bright teal color. As she waited, his eyes, wide with shock, _and was that _pain_?_ slowly softened into a guarded smile.

_**"Mana. What are you doing here?"**_ he asked gently, knowing exactly what she had done. What he didn't exactly know was _why_. _**"I–I missed you, master."**_ was his student's nervous reply. _**"I was lonely. And– and I though that **_you_** must be too, having no one to talk to about–you know–what happened. I mean I still had Seth, but it wasn't the same. I wanted to come here, so that you wouldn't be lonely."**_ she finished, silent tears running from her now-emerald eyes.

_**"Mana."**_ Mahaad answered, an unreadable expression on he face, _**"I came here by choice. I gave my life in the war so that **_you_** wouldn't have to! I wanted you to be free, to live a long life of peace and happiness, without fear."**_ he stated, anguish in his teal eyes. _**"There is a reason that the merging of Ba and Ka is forbidden magic. I knew the consequences of my actions when I barred my soul from the afterlife. I knew that I would remain here forever–as a Duel Monster–unless someone summoned me. Do you **_really_** choose the same fate?"**_

Mana hung her head, ashamed and confused at why her master was so upset. Did he not want to see her? Was she no more to him than an annoying half-rate spellcaster who messed things up constantly? The tears flowed faster at these thoughts, and she whispered tearfully, _**"I see master. Please excuse my intrusion. I– I need time to think."**_ and she flew out the window to the forest.

Mahaad raised his hand to stop her, but too late. That wasn't what he'd meant at all! He'd missed her terribly! But to give up her whole life _and_ afterlife, just so _he_ wouldn't be lonely? _Mana, you think too much with your heart. That's one of the things I've always loved about you. But this time I fear you've gone too far._

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><p>Mana flew straight to the fountain, where she knew the Mystical Elf would be praying. Isis had always been a mother-figure to her, and her Duel Monster shared the same compassionate spirit. What Mana didn't know was that Duos was also there, meditating just above the top of the fountain. Mana collapsed to her knees and sobbed into her arm on the rim of the structure, crying as if her heart had burst. Which–in a way–it had. The Mystical Elf stood up from her defense-position prayer and walked over to Mana, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. Duos looked up from his meditation, then looked down at the scene below him.<p>

As Mana continued to weep piteously into the Mystical Elf's shoulder, Duos put a gentle comforting hand on her shoulder for a moment. Duos was blessed with the gift of telepathy, and with one touch could determine the problem and solution of any situation. Once he understood he flew off, unnoticed by the distraught magician.

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><p>Hours later–<p>

Far away in a different dimension, Seth was heeding the final words of his best friend. He strove to rule his nation in the wisdom that his cousin and uncle had before him. A single tear dropped to the floor as he remembered Mana's death, and so he was quite startled when his dia-diank began flashing with light. He ran to his obelisk–where all his Duel Monsters slept–and was surprised to find that Duos' carving was glowing as well. Taking the hint, Seth summoned the creature from the Realm in which he lived.

Duos appeared–not in front of him as Seth would have expected–but down near the entrance to the obelisk. The creature motioned once for Seth to follow him, then disappeared through the doorway. Seth followed after a minute, confused as to what was happening.

Once outside, Duos led him back into the throne room of the palace. He then drew his aura sword and began writing hieroglyphics in midair. The pictographs glowed with energy so Seth was able to read them. _**"Summon– Mahaad?"**_ he read aloud, his confusion making the command a question. He looked around, but Duos had already returned to his home. Seth shrugged, then did as the hieroglyphs asked. Almost at once the 'Dark Magician' appeared before him, then knelt down on one knee before his king, asking, _**"You called me, my pharaoh?"**_

_**"Yes. Duos asked me to just now, but I don't know why."**_ he answered, knowing that he didn't have to use the royal 'We' with an old friend like Mahaad.

_**"I think **_I**_ might. You may be the only one who can clear up this situation. Tell me everything that has transpired over the past few days, especially the events concerning Mana."_**

Seth felt a jolt when he heard his friend's name, but summarized the past week anyway as if there were no pain. _**"Mana had grown in her magical prowess and became one of my elite spellcasters. She also filled your old position as Head of Palace Security. She– she was struck by a poison dart meant for me. I– I couldn't save her, though I tried everything."**_

_**"I see!"**_ Mahaad gasped in understanding. _**"She did the same thing I did. Her mortal life was over, but she still wished to protect and serve her king, her friend. So she merged her Ba with her Ka so that she would be able to protect you in the only way she now could, as a Duel Monster!"**_

_**"She's alive? **_Now_** her last words make sense! Why didn't I see it before?"**_ Seth laughed with relief._**"That little rascal! A mystery to the very end, and then some!"**_

Mahaad laughed as well, finally understanding the decisions behind his apprentice's choice. Seeing him again was just a perk! _Mana, you sneaky little trickster! If only you'd told me your other reason–_ but then he faltered, realizing his worst mistake. _I didn't give her the chance. What kind of mentor _am_ I?_ Out loud he said, _**"Thank you Seth, for explaining things to me. I have to go back now. There is an urgent matter that I need to address immediately."**_

Seth nodded to his friend, who bowed low before fading out of sight. After Mahaad had left, Seth mused to himself, _Well Mana, I wish you happiness, wherever you are._

* * *

><p>Back in the world of the Shadow Creatures, Mana had finally calmed down a bit and was resting against the kind Mystical Elf while the Duel Monster stroked her hair affectionately. Mana sniffled. <em><strong>"Ouji used to do that when we were little, when I was upset. Why does my master not want to see me? Does he– not like me anymore?"<strong>_ she asked, dry sobs punctuating her questions.

_**"He **_loves_** you, Mana. He often told me that he 'missed his little sister'. He was talking about you. There was a– miscommunication between you, it seems. He thought you had given your life on purpose just to see him again. He didn't know what had happened in that world."**_ The Mystical Elf consoled, now patting Mana's back. The Dark Magician appeared slightly behind Mana, a concerned and apologetic look on his face. He looked at the Mystical Elf and–with her nod of assent–performed the 'Monster Replace' spell so that he could comfort Mana directly.

_**"I am **_so**_ sorry, Mana. I should have given you a chance to explain. You have certainly grown, and I'm sorry I didn't trust that you knew what you were doing. I knew not the circumstances leading up to this point, and I acted in shock and in haste. You know that I care for you deeply Mana, and that will never change, for as long as I– exist. Can you forgive me for thinking too much with my head, and not with my heart?"_**

Mana smiled a little at that, then nodded. _**"Yes, master."**_ Then she laughed once. _**"I guess I can't blame you for jumping to conclusions like that, though. It's entirely conceivable that I would do something like this without considering the consequences. You know me too well, master."**_ she said, grinning in embarrassment.

_**"No, no! You have every right to blame me. **_I_** was the genius that gave you the idea in the first place!"**_ he said, half joking, half serious.

_**"Right. So let's try this introduction again,"**_ Mana laughed. _**"Hi master! Long time no see!"**_

Playing along, Mahaad grinned and exclaimed joyfully, _**"Mana! It's so good to see you! I've missed you terribly!"**_

_**"Likewise master! So– where are we?"**_

_**"This, Mana, is the legendary realm of Duel Monsters–our Shadow Creatures–, the Dominion of the Beasts–"**_

* * *

><p><span>The End<span>

Aww! Poor Mana. It turned out all right in the end, though. And it was kinda fun keeping Seth in the dark for a while there.

Seth: Hey!

Me: Hee-hee! Anyway, I also liked that little bit with Duos. He's capable of far more than just battling for his 'duelist'.

Other than that, ¡Hasta la vista, mis amigos! [See you later, my friends!]

Tsunami Storm


End file.
